Swing Sets
by ivory182
Summary: Adam goes to the park late at night, he finds Imogen there. Will things work out between the two or will friendships and drama get in the way?
1. Strings

I don't really know where this came from. It wasn't meant to be Imoadam, it just happened.

I don't own Degrassi.

Mom and Drew are fighting, again. I can't stand when they fight; it makes sleep impossible. I put on my striped hoodie, my beanie, and headed for the park.

I love the park at night. It's always empty and silent; desolate, almost. Except for tonight.

I spotted a girl about my age on the swings. What was she doing here at this hour? and in my spot?

I sat down next to her, she turned and looked at me. From the glasses and odd hair I recognised her at once as Imogen, the strange girl who had the hots for Eli.

"Hello Adam Torres." Her brown eyes seemed far away.

"Hi Imogen, what are you doing here?" I kicked my legs and started to swing.

"My house is boring at night. My parents are always out so I'm alone a lot." She gave me a small smile and started to swing too.

It was weird, she was actually having a normal conversation with me. I've only ever seen her state facts and rumors about the people she's talking to.

"What do you do when you're alone?" I asked.

"I observe people." She kicked more and went higher than me.

This explains a lot. It makes sense how she knows so much about everyone, including people she's never even talked to. She had time, and no friends that I knew of.

I swung higher, trying to catch up to her. This reminded me of when Drew and I would see who could jump farther.

"Wanna play a game, Imogen?" I was curious if she could jump farther than me.

"Sure, Adam. What is it?"

"We'll see who can jump farther, the loser buys lunch for the winner on Monday." Her face lit up.

"Okay. Three, two, one!" We jumped, I won.

"Ouch!" Her hands went to her ankle.

"Are you hurt?" I went over to her. She had tears in her eyes.

I looked at her ankle, it was swollen. She was hurt, and it was all my fault.

She smirked at me.

"What?"

She pressed her lips to mine. I kissed her back. Her lips were soft, they tasted like strawberry lipgloss.

"Wow." I was speechless.

"I'll see you on monday, Adam Torres." She kissed me again and walked away

I could still taste her on my lips during the walk home.


	2. Shameless

This was only meant to be a one-shot but since I got reviews asking for more, I figured I'll write another chapter and see where it takes me. I'm really new at this so reviews, sugestions, and even criticisms are welcome.

I don't own Degrassi.

-oIOIo-

For the bulk of the weekend the kiss was the only thing on my mind. It was completely unexpected, out-of-nowhere, and I couldn't stop replaying it in my head.

I couldn't wait until school on Monday, then I thought about Eli and Clare. I didn't want to know what they would say if they found out, or what they would think.

After all, Imogen was after Eli first and Clare and her aren't exactly friends. On Sunday I went over to Eli's for an Xbox marathon and he knew some thing was up.

"So dude, what have you been up to?" Eli shot a zombie in the head.

"Since Friday? Nothing new." I tried to keep my voice steady but it cracked when I said 'new.'

"When you lie your voice cracks! You're the worst liar, worse than Clare! What happened, bro?" He had a kill streak of 30, I only had 5 then I got killed.

I ignored him and tried to focus on the game. I was usually a beast at Nazi Zombies and left Eli in the dust. Tonight I was getting stomped into the ground.

"Come on, tell me!" He nudged me with his right arm. I let go of the controller and got killed again.

"Ikissedimogen" I blurted it out then bought a new gun.

He paused the game. "YOU DID WHAT? Back that up and slow it down! Tell me I didn't hear what I think I just heard."

"I kissed Imogen. Well, she kissed me." My heart was thumping.

"I don't even want to know, okay. Just make sure your sure you know all of Imogen's personality before you do something stupid." Eli's green eyes were filled with concern.

"What do you mean? She seems fine to me." I knew things ended a little bad with the two of them but he made it sound like she was insane.

"She's friends with Bianca and has mood swings from hell!"

"Whatever, man. You're wrong about her. It's late and I gotta go." I grabbed my hoodie and left.

"Just don't say I didn't warn you!" He yelled to me as I was leaving.

-olOlo-

All morning on Monday I was nervous. I knew Clare would find out at lunch and tell my the same things that I had heard from Eli.

I kept checking my hair in the mirror and could hardly talk by the time lunch came around.

"Adam Torres!" Imogen was already there. She was sitting by herself and had got lunch for me.

"Hey. I was kidding. You didn't actually have to buy my lunch." I smiled at her and started eating my pizza.

"I always keep my word, Adam Torres."

I saw Clare coming towards us from the refection of Imogen's glasses. I tried to stay calm but my effort was worthless.

"What are you doing?" She shot an accusing glance at me.

"I'm having lunch with Imogen today. Tell Eli I'll catch the both of you The Dot after school, okay?" I bet she won't show up now because she's pissed.

"I miss your beanie. It's such a shame the uniforms don't allow hats" Imogen ruffled my hair.

"Umm, thanks?" I could feel myself blushing as I flattened my hair.

The rest of lunch went smoothly. My attempts at flirting weren't bad, either.

-olOlo-

"Adam, how could you fraternize with the enemy?" Clare started on me before I got the chance to sit down. Eli was sitting across from her reading a comic.

"She's kinda right, bro. She did put my pills in Clare's locker." Of course he would side with her on this!

"She's sorry for that, she told you herself. I don't see why either of you have an opinion on who I pursue." I tried my best to defend Imogen but they did have a good point.

I couldn't help that just thinking about her lips made my stomach have butterflies. I don't want to forgoe a chance at a relationship, god knows I get so few of them.

"I'm just saying that she isn't exactly a good influence and she's a little manipulative." Clare glared at me. I did my best to pretend I didn't notice.

I felt my phone vibrate.

/Do you want to see each other tomorrow? - Imogen/

/yeah, the park again? at 4? - adam/

/See you there. xoxo - Imogen/

"There's nothing to discuss here. We're just becoming friends right now. I can judge people for myself, thanks." I picked up my backpack and went to home..


	3. Ghost

Thanks for reviewing, guys. I'm going to try and write a chapter a day until this is finished. Every few chapters the POV will change from Adam to Imogen.

This takes place after Adam leaves The Dot

I don't own Degrassi.

-olOlo-

**Imogen's POV**

I couldn't believe it! Adam actually liked me back! I figured he would just think I'm some weird stalker girl, like everyone else.

After what happened between Eli and I most people thought I was the one in the wrong. I wasn't. He used me and imagined I was Clare when he kissed me.

I really just want to talk to Clare about what happened but she won't listen. Our entire relationship was a hoax. Eli wasn't well and I knew it.

I shoud've just left him alone but I couldn't stop myself. I had been alone for too long and was sick of being ignored. I didn't want to be a wallflower anymore.

I texted Clare.

/Can we talk, please? -Imogen/

/No. I don't want you messing with Adam's head. -Clare/

/It's not like that. I know you don't like me because of what happened with Eli but you don't know the whole story. -Imogen/

/The Dot. Now. You better explain your intentions with Adam and I want to hear your side of the story. -Clare/

I changed out of my Degrassi uniform and walked to The Dot. The smell of coffee hit me as soon as I walked in, it didn't help my nerves.

Clare called me over from across the room.

"I'm sorry if I came across as mean. I'm just worried that you'll hurt Adam." I understood her personality.

She was loyal and would do what it takes it protect the people she cared about.

"So, what's your side of the story with Eli?" It was like her blue eyes stared through to my soul. I could see how Eli fell for her.

"I know. I didn't try and change Eli one bit. I helped him get off of his medication so he could write again. I tried to get him to take them again once he was done with Love Roulette. He didn't listen." I hated reliving those times where he kissed me and called me by her name.

"He started to kiss me and tell me how perfect I was, then he started calling me Clare Edwards. I knew there was nothing I could do when he wanted to try and win you back. I put the pills in your locker because I was jelous and I've already apologized for that."

"And Adam? Please tell me you're not going to let him down, like Fiona did." Her voice had a slightly threating tone in it.

"For now, we're friends. He doesn't judge me like you, Clare Edwards." Adam's different, like me. He knows what it feels like to be gawked at like you're an item on display, not a human with feelings.

"I'm just trying to look out for him, okay? If you hurt him, you'll have Eli and I to answer to."

"I think we're done here, Clare Edwards." I hope she would stop trying to threaten me. I don't have any bad intentions.

-olOlo-


	4. Us and Them

Thank you guys so much for all of the reviews and alerts! I don't have a word count thingy on wordpad so I'm trying to make each chapter about a page and a half long, sorry if they're kinda short. Feel free to point out any typos or misspellings as I don't have spellcheck either.

I don't own Degrassi.

-olOlo-

I felt guilty for lashing out on my friends, maybe they were right about Imogen. I had only just started talking to her and then she kissed me.

I didn't want to listen to them, though. I just wanted to taste that strawberry lip gloss again.

After I got dressed in the morning I decided to talk to Drew about it.

I sat on the couch next to him. He didn't acknowledge me so I sighed.

"Girl trouble?" He looked suprised. Usually he was the one asking me for advice.

"Eli and Clare warned me about Imogen but I really like her. Should I listen to them?"

"Wait, do you mean the crazy chick who wears cat ears that stalked Eli?"

"I don't like how you put that, but yes. That would be Imogen."

"I would say listen to them and think for yourself. If she freaks you out then end things."

I decided to follow my brothers advice.

-olOlo-

After The Man Hour with Dave I couldn't wait to go to lunch and spend time with my friends.

I searched the cafeteria until I found Eli and Clare playfully arguing with each other.

"No! I don't think she should fall for the bad guy! That's been done too many times!"

"It didn't stop you from falling for me, did it?" Eli gave her one of his signature smirks. Clare blushed and tried to retaliate from his statement.

"God, would you two spare me all of this flirting and just get back together already?" I punched Eli on his arm.

"Ouch. That really hurt. I can feel my heart shattering." He put his hand to his heart dramaticly.

"What do you think, Adam? Should the girl fall for the good guy or the bad boy?"

"I think the girl should move to Anchorage, Alaska and meet a fisherman who will tell her whom to choose."

"I dissagree. I don't even know how I would fit that into the plot or why the girl would be in Alaska in the first place." Eli looked at me like I was insane.

"Batman told her to go there?" I shrugged and started to eat.

"Now that's an idea, my friend. How about we do this Two-Face style and flip a coin?" Clare got a dime out of her clutch purse.

"Now to be fair I have to flip it so either of you don't cheat to give it the outcome you want." I took the coin from Clare's hand and flipped it.

"Heads is good guy, bad is tails." It landed tails side up.

"I win." Eli could'nt have looked more smug after saying those two words.

-olOlo-

When I went to meet Imogen at the park afterschool I almost couldn't find her. She was laying on a blanket, under a tree near the merry-go-round.

I walked over to her. She didn't move. She had headphones on and was staring up at the sky. I decided to see what she found so interesting.

I couldn't see anything but a bunch of leaves. I sat up and took her head phones off of her. They were blaring out a song I didn't recognize.

"What's so interesting up there?"

"Look at the shapes in between the leaves. So far I've found a bunny, a bowtie and a pair of scissors."

I did what she said. At first it was hard to see anything, then once I stopped looking for them I could see.

I found something that looked like the Monster logo, then I couldn't focus. She was holding my hand.

I tried to concentrate. I found jelly beans and an ear. I glanced at Imogen out of the corner of my eye. She had given up and was looking at me.

"Wanna go to my house?"

"Sure."

I helped her up and folded up the blanket. We started towards the parking lot. She stopped at a white car with a guy in it and got in the back seat.

I followed her actions.

"You have a driver?" I couldn't believe it.

"My parents are richer than the Coynes. I just don't advertise it, like they do." She acted like it was no big deal.

"To the house, Lance."

"Yes, miss Imogen."

She put her head on my shoulders. I didn't want her to move. I could smell her apple-scented hair.

-olOlo-

We stopped in front of a large brick house. The driver was the first to get out. He opened the car door for us, then rushed to open the front door.

Once we were inside Imogen took off her combat boots and sat at the bottom of the staircase. I hurried to get my shoes off and almost fell over. I heard her giggle.

Upstairs I could see atleast six doors. We kept going straight to the end of the hall, to her room.

She put her iPod on it's iHome, pressed play and layed on the bed. She pulled me down with her. Her bed was covered with an old quilt and she had stars on the celing.

I could almost get lost in her room. She had a small library of movie scripts, the dresser was covered in jewlery and art supplies.

Near a canvas leaning against the wall was a door leading to somewhere.

She put her legs around my waist and started kissing me. I didn't object.

We spent most of the day like this. She didn't leave much time for talking before she attacked my lips again.

The best thing about it was she seemed to know not to go too far, like Fiona had. She didn't trigger any dysphoria and respected my boundaries.

It was almost 8 when my mom called me home for dinner.


	5. Toast and Bananas

Imogen is a pretty hard character to write. After re-watching the episodes with her in them I still don't know a whole lot about her.

I don't own Degrassi.

-olOlo-

The next few days Imogen wouldn't answer any of my calls or texts. I didn't understand why. What did I do wrong? Was I a bad kisser? Did my breath stink?

I couldn't get her attention in the hallways and we didn't have any classes together. Did I have to send her a telegram to get her to notice me?

I wouldn't bother talking to Eli or Clare about it because they didn't like her. I tried to distract myself by doing my homework. I started on math first.

First of all, I hardly knew her. I only just started talking to her then she kissed me. Maybe the only reason I'm reciprocating her feelings is because I would feel bad if I didn't.

It was like finding _n_ for a problem that didn't have anything but an _n_. I gave up on the homework and put on some music. Drew and Mom were out grocery shopping and my Step-Dad was still at work so I could have it as loud as I wanted. I danced around the house for a while but it soon lost it's appeal.

I figured some guy time would help me forget about the ordeal for a while.

/Wanna hang? Everyone's out and I'm bored. -Adam./

/Be there in 10, want me to bring Gears? -Eli/

/Yes! See you in 10. -Adam./

I fixed my hair, brushed my teeth and went downstairs to wait for Eli. I hadn't left my room since I woke up and it was nearly 3 in the afternoon.

Just after I got the Xbox set up Eli arrived. He was carrying Gears and the new Umbrella Academy comics he mentioned at school on Friday.

"Hey, I figured you would bring Clare. I was afraid you were morphing into Eclare again." He rolled his eyes and followed me into the living room.

We loaded the game and picked our team. I always chose Cog and he Locust.

"I swear, I can't stand those stupid campers!" He always said that, when he normally camped himself.

My killstreak was 21 and his just a mere 11.

After a few rounds Mom and Drew were home and Eli decided he would show me the comics tomorrow and left.

I went upstairs to finish my homework dinner.

-olOlo-

**Imogen's POV**

I didn't mean to act like Adam didn't exist. I just had to. It was the only way I could be sure he wouldn't leave me, just like everyone else.

Eli made me a mess for weeks, he just looked right past me. My own parents, even. It was almost like I didn't exist until I changed the way I looked.

Life was easier that way. People noticed me and the attention made me feel good. I didn't care what anyone thought of me, because they atleast thought of me.

Before this I was almost as plain as Clare or even worse! She had friends and boyfriends; I didn't have anyone. I hated how pathetic I felt as I watched her weasel her way into Eli's heart. She had him and I was still alone. Then Eli crashed his hearse and I had hope again.

I would help him feel better. I would make him forget about her and notice me! For a while, it worked. Eli liked me and was moving on. It was Jake's fault that everything fell through.

It was Eli's jealously that brought him back to Clare. He would do anything to see her happy even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness.

After that. Everything was hopeless. After their friend Adam got shot it gave me a revolation. What about him? Didn't he deserve someone to love after Fiona had used him, just like Eli had used me?

Adam and I were different, albeit in unrelated ways; he could relate to me. He knew how it felt, he was either left unacknowledged or bullied for being who he was.

After a few weeks of watching him I had developed a plan. I had seen him at the park a few times, once when his Step-Brother and his Mother had begun an argument.

I borrowed Bianca's cell phone and planted the pictures of her on Drew's cell phone; the very same pictures that he and his mother had fought about when she found them.

I had created the argument that made Adam leave the house. Everything had worked out perfectly. All I had to do was make sure he was hooked.

I had to admit, I felt really guilty at first but who could blame me? I loved the way Adam was always joking about something and frequently used sarcasm. I didn't mind his being transgender, it didn't even cross my mind when I noticed he had a smile that could make everything that had ever gone wrong dissapear.

I couldn't just let him be the third wheel with Eli and Clare rekindling what they had lost. I knew how much he disliked them becoming a couple in the first place and I wanted to make things right.

We were both alone. I had a reason for doing what I did weather or not anyone realized it; I could care less.

All I wanted was somebody to love.


	6. Courtship Dating

I'm so sorry for not updating, I've been really busy with homework and babysitting! I'll change my updating schedule to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so I won't slack anymore.

I don't own Degrassi.

-olOlo-

I finally got a text back from her on Tuesday. All it said was 'lunch in the caf?' She was acting like nothing had happened. I drove myself insane trying to figure out what I had done wrong for days, I had lost mass amounts of sleep over it and here she was, acting as if she didn't just ignore me. I didn't know what to think.

I met Imogen at her locker after English to ask her what happened.

"Why didn't you answer any of my texts?"

"I was busy."

"Doing what?"

"Things." She waltzed off to class with a smile on her face.

I would do anything to know what went on in that girls head.

-olOlo-

She was easy to find in the crowded cafeteria. Her strange hairstyles and accesories made her stand out. Standing out was the one thing I always avoided doing, I just wanted to blend in and do my best to go unnoticed.

I sat there for atleast two minutes before she noticed me. She had earbuds in and was lost in the sketch she was drawing in her notebook.

From what I could make out it looked like me after I got shot. It brought back my month spent in the hospital watching spiderman cartoons while I waited for my wound to heal.

It looked incredible. The colour blood stood out above everything else when she started to mix two different shades of red. She put down her coloured pencil and closed the notebook.

"I didn't know you were there when that happened." I was searching my memories and I couldn't recall seeing her.

"I was, but not for long. Nothing interesting was happening." She opened a pack of Sour Patch Kids and offered me some. I noticed she was only eating the yellow ones.

"I once snorted Pixie Sticks." I didn't know what compelled me to tell her that. I was nervous and when I got nervous around my current objects of affection I always had a bad case of 'word vomit'.

"I've done that. Did it burn for you, too?"

"Yes! Eli dared me to last Halloween and it was one of the worst mistakes of my life." We had too much sugar and Eli made the comment that without the tube it looked like cocaine and dared me to snort some.

She moved onto eating the orange candies next. She was full of strange quirks. That was what I liked about her, she was so different from anyone else and wasn't afraid to be.

"Why did you and Fiona break up?" Her brown eyes were filled with curiousity. I wasn't sure I liked where this was going.

"She wanted me for the parts of myself I hate the most. You and Eli?"

"Not seeing past Eli's good looks to his black heart. I never should've tricked myself into thinking he liked me."

"It wasn't your fault. He was in a dark place and wasn't in his right mind then."

"We all have our week moment's caused by infatuation."

The bell rang we went back to our classes.

-olOlo-


	7. Kissing In Cars

The rating just went up to M for mild drug use.

For those of you who don't know what dysphoria is: it's a feeling that makes it hard to cope with being in your body. If that's not a good enough exclamation, sorry.

I don't own Degrassi

-O;o;O-

I could feel Bianca's body heat against mine as we danced. I knew what happened next but I couldn't stop anything.

I had to watch as the scene layed out before me.

Bianca and I were in the school hallway, flirting. She shoved me and pulled my shirt open then everything stopped.

I was stuck in that moment of despair that ruined my chance at a new start, my chance at being a normal kid at Degrassi.

I blinked and it was over. My heart was racing and I was back in my bed. I could feel my shirt sticking to me from the sweat.

Even though it was gone I could still bring the feelings back at a moment's notice. I knew I had to distract myself before I got too upset and went back to my old habits..

I began to name all of the formula's I had learned in Physical Science. It helped somewhat.

After I showered my Mom drove Drew and I to school. I had a few spare minutes before the English quiz so I sat in front of my locker studying for it.

"Hey" Eli beamed a smile at me which was unusual for him. I was used to his signature smirk.

"What happened? Did the Anarchists take over and we're free of this establisment?" I tried to sound enthusiastic but it was useless.

"Nah, I got Clare back." He looked like he was so excited he could dance.

"Sweet! I think you might've earned a new nickname, Fish Pits." I said high fiving him.

"Try not to forget about me, though. I can't really be alone right now."

"I promised I would give her space. We'll have a guys night this weekend so your not too neglected; I've been taking my meds so I won't mess things up this time." He showed me his half empty pill bottle. Eli was too distracted to notice my mood, which was good.

"How are things with Imogen going?"

"Okay, I guess." I hadn't talked to her in a few days.

"How did you ask Clare to be your girlfriend?" I'd been toying with the idea of asking Imogen for about a week. I just didn't know how to make it happen.

"I didn't. She called me her boyfriend and I just went with it." He shrugged.

-O;o;O-

If I let my mind wander I kept thinking of that dream I had this morning. I tried all of the techniques I had learned in therapy to deal with dysphoria but they didn't help.

I could hardly talk in class for fear of sounding girly. After every class I went to the rest room to adjust my binder which made the dysphoria worse.

If I looked for too long I would see my curves and think that my binder wasn't doing it's job.

It made me want to tear my skin apart and free my soul from this body that has become a cage.

I wished I were allowed to wear my beanie. It made my face look more masculine and distracted people from the fact that I couldn't grow stubble.

Every second the clock ticked felt like an hour and the time it took for another minute to pass it felt like I had been sitting there for an eternity.

When class was over my lip had drawn blood from my biting it and I could almost feel the release of the barette I stowed away in my locker.

The pain would fix everything. It would make these confidence destroying thoughts go away.

I practicly ran to my locker to get it; half way down the hall I noticed Imogen at my locker and slowed my pace to walking.

"Hello, Adam. Your lip is bleeding." She wiped the blood off with her thumb and gave me a small smile.

"I tripped." It was the best excuse I could come up with.

"No you didn't. You bite your lip when you feel dysphoric." She held my hand and looked into my eyes.

I didn't want to know how she knew this about me.

Her left hand moved to the back of my neck. I felt it give me goosebumps.

"You need to calm down. Follow me." I didn't speak because I knew I was anxious. It caused my voice to sound higher.

She led me out of the school into the parking lot. We sat in the back seat of a white car I assumed was hers.

"I need to be distracted. If I don't get distracted there's nothing to stop me from going back there."

She moved to the passenger seat, reached into her glove box and started rolling a joint.

"I don't usually do this unless everything gets to be too much. It'll hurt your throat but if you cough it hurts less so don't fight it."

Imogen put the joint to her lips and lit it. The car started to smell a strange scent I wasn't familiar with. She handed it to me.

My hands were shaking as I put it to my lips and took a breath in. The burning feeling in my throat felt good. As my lungs began to fill with smoke I felt the urge to cough.

"Don't cough yet. If you hold it in for a few more seconds you'll get a better high and won't have to take another hit."

I couldn't hold it much longer and started coughing. I breathed in and out to clear my lungs of the smoke and handed the joint back to Imogen.

After a few minutes everything felt light, like I could start floating to the ceiling and I would be fine with it.

I laid across the seat and relaxed. I found if I tried to focus on talking my words got mixed up didn't sound right. Imogen got into the back seat with me and laid with me.

Her hair smelled better than I remembered and her skin was softer. Everything was more significant and detailed.

She rolled on her side. Her brown eyes had more shades in them then I had remembered.

She glanced at my lips and smirked. I could feel her bottom lip slightly brush mine.

I leaned on to kiss her properly but something in her pocket went off and made us both jump.

It was an alarm telling us we had skipped lunch and the period after it. Imogen gave me eye drops, pecked me on the cheek, and let me walk her to class.

-O;o;O-

I had only smoked marajuana once before then and it was at home with Drew. We thought about all of the impossible things that happened in the world like how I could still be a guy, but stuck in this body, and how the celing fan gets dusty but it's almost constantly in motion so there is no way for it to collect dust.

Class was as interesting as it had ever been. I had thoughts that I would've never thought normally. Most of them made it hard to keep from bursting out laughing.

I wondered if and if wondered if Eli wore more eye liner than Clare, if it was possible for a human to become a liquid then turn back in to a solid. I wondered if we had anything to eat at home because I was starving. Rain started to pour down. I didn't know how it could rain cats and dogs because hail was generally the size of a coin.

Looking down at my notes I realized I hadn't taken more than a line. The rest were all doodles of Imogen and I. I had drawn us underneath the tree at the park, us talking at lunch which included word bubbles, and us on the swing sets.

Clare threw a scrap of paper at my head.

"Are you okay? Eli said you were acting a little down."

"I'm okay now, it was nothing. Imogen helped me." I hadn't meant to say the last part. Clare always over-reacted when it came to Imogen.

"How did she help you?" I could hear accusation in her voice.

"She just talked to me, that's it." I hoped smoking didn't affect my ability to lie.

"I hoped that's all she did. Did you notice how strange the classroom smells today?"

"No, what are you talking about?" I dropped my pencil and smelled my shirt before I sat back in my seat. It was me; the smell of the smoke had rubbed off my clothes.

I made a mental note to shower as soon as I got home.

-O;o;O-

After school Drew and I played Black Ops.

"I swear, Adam. If you don't stop shooting me I'm going to murder you!"

My phone vibrated.

/Are you okay now? - Imogen/

/Yep, thanks. To repay you we're going on a date. - Adam/

/You don't have to do that. - Imogen/

/I want to. Saturday, at 6. I'll pick you up at your house. - Adam/

/Sounds good. - Imogen/

/Dress for the woods. - Adam/

Drew hit me in the head with a controller. "Are you playing or not?"

"Your going to regret that!" I made it my goal to ignore the other players and to shoot him when ever I saw him

-O;o;O-


	8. Dreamwalker

Sorry the last chapter was so short, this one's over 1,000 words to make up for it.

I'm not sure how you guys will feel about this chaper, hate me if you want but- I'll finish that sentence after the chapter.

This takes place a few days after Imogen and Adam get high. The chapter after this is their date.

-:3o;3-

Imogen's POV

"Hey, Bee." Bianca and I had become friends recently and I had to say, she wasn't as bad as people thought. She just looked at things a bit different than everyone else.

"Sup' Imogen?" She was a lot more cheerfull because she finished her community service she got from all the drama with Vince.

"How was dance class?"

"Fine except some guy kept trying to feel me up. Usually I wouldn't mind but he was pretty ugly."

"Sorry I couldn't be there. I had some business to take care of." I gave her an apologetic smile.

"Like what?" She raised her eyebrows

"Nothing you'd be interested in. You'll never guess what I got Adam Torres to do." Telling Bianca felt wrong but I had a feeling I got her a new customer. She sold for Ron-Ron and got half of the profit, she was saving it for college.

"What? You got him to go streaking?" She was clueless.

"I got him to smoke, silly." I rustled her hair.

"Cool, you think he'll be a regular?"

"Possibly. He seemed to enjoy it but it might've just been the fact that he was with me when he tried it." I hoped it was the former.

"You could tell him to jump off a bridge and he would listen to you. Are you sure you want him this attached?"

"I don't know yet. He's cute, but he's not Eli."

"Well, you need to figure that out before you dig yourself in to a hole you can't get out of." I didn't want to think about it.

"I will! I have to go to Media right now, though. If it's turned in late again I'll get points off of the assignment."

-:3o;3-

I left a few minutes before class was over so I could be sure the halls were clear.

I passed the different coloured lockers. Blue and yellow blurred together as I quickened my pace.

The colour pattern continued untill I found the locker I was looking for, Eli's. I wrote a note for him during class, it read:

_"Come find me._

_Behind The Dot, after school._

_Imo."_

Adam was great but he wasn't what I wanted. He was predictable and cookie-cutter. He was ordinary and plain. Eli wasn't any of those things.

Eli didn't care what anyone thought and let everyone know it. He was erratic and unpredictable, impulsive and irresponsible.

They way that he flirted with her and looked at her. She knew he felt something for her, he had to. Why else would he kiss her back?

If he didn't feel anything would mean that every second of planning I spent of planning was wasted time.

Kissing Eli felt like everything wrong in the world was gone. It felt like my parents still cared about me and I actually had friends. It made me forget the harsh reality of being alone.

With Adam, it was different. He brought me down to earth and made me realize ythat even though things weren't the way we all wanted, everything would be okay. It had to be for him. If he gave in to his feelings, the world still wouldn't stop spinning.

Adam lived in the real world and didn't push the edges of reality. The lines were blurred for me, that was exactly how I liked them.

Dealing with reality meant facing feelings that I had long forgotten. I locked them in a box buried deep in my mind. I intended for them to stay there. If I gave in to Adam it would mean facing them.

I didn't want to, I couldn't.

-:3o;3-

The walk to the dot was short. I texted Bianca on my way there.

/You comin to dance class? - Bianca/

/I might be there afte I meet Eli. - Imogen/

/Eli's dangerous. Remember that. - Bianca/

Everyone knew about him crashing his hearse for Clare. Bianca was just worried he would crash his new car with me in it.

I knew he wouldn't do that. He cared about me more than Clare. He just showed it differently. I sat on a crate and sketched while I waited.

I was sketching the scenes before Adam got shot when Eli walked up to me.

"We need to talk, Imogen." I didn't want to hear those words.

"About what?"

"I'm back with Clare. We're done. We were nothing in the first place." I could feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes.

My body was frozen. I didn't move or speak and he didn't wait for me to. He just walked away.

I put my sketchbook in my bag and called a taxi to meet Bianca after her dance class. The ride there I couldn't stop thinking of how easily Eli wrote me off.

I didn't understand it. I knew there was something there between Eli and I, he just didn't see it. Clare was clouding his vision.

Even when I thought I finally had him, he went crawling back to her. He crushed my heart again and again I wasn't sure there was much left of it.

I wiped away the tears and waited outside of Bianca's dance class. She would know what to say to make me feel better.

Her curly hair was pulled up and she was in a sports bra and sweat pants. I was the only one ever allowed to see her like this. She was glistening with sweat.

"Imogen, you've been crying! Tell me what's wrong!"

"Eli's back with Clare. He just told me." I could barely say his name.

"I told you Doctor Doom was crazy. I told you to be careful. I told you not to do all of the things you did with him and yet you still went 'splat' for him." She was referencing to the time I saved him from when the threw a computer moniter.

"I know you really don't want to hear any of this so come on, lets go get some ice cream and I'll tell you all of the reasons why I was right and you were wrong."

She held out her hand, I took it.

-:3o;3-

I'm sorry for having Eli be a jerk but I think he was a jerk to Imogen when he used her then said he wanted Clare back.


End file.
